December 3, 2009
Let me begin by expressing my sincere appreciation to the Coalition for the Advancement of Regional Transportation for providing me with this forum. I have come today to address an important issue that will determine whether or not Kentucky is a full partner in America’s 21st century transportation network and – ultimately – whether or not Louisville develops the kind of public transportation system worthy of a world class city.
Louisville is a great city … with wonderful people. One of my goals as Kentucky’s next United States Senator is to work closely with you, your local leaders and Governor Beshear to make it even better.
Right now, working families in this community and across Kentucky are struggling to make ends meet … just trying to survive during the worst recession since the Great Depression.
Investing in public transportation is one of the single greatest investments we can make to spur economic growth, attract new industries and create new jobs. I will be a champion in the United States Senate for public transportation in Kentucky.
Your local leaders have worked hard and started the process in developing a 21st century public transportation system -- moving forward with two new bridges – a downtown and an east end bridge -- and a redesign of Spaghetti Junction … these are all critical elements in meeting the transportation needs of this community, improving commerce and expanding economic opportunity in our region and state.
However, we must go beyond just highways and bridges.
Those states and cities that plan for … prepare for … and are actively engaged in developing an integrated multi-modal transit system for the 21st century will reap the economic benefits … grow jobs, expand opportunity and enjoy a higher standard of living and a better quality of life than those states that do not.
For the city of Louisville and the Commonwealth of Kentucky to be a part of that future … and for Kentucky families to realize the economic benefits that that future holds … I am convinced Louisville must be the hub for a new, 21st century public transit system in Kentucky. I’m talking about a comprehensive public transit system that integrates the TARC bus system with a Rapid Access Monorail (RAM) and Hybrid Light Rail Transit, along with park & ride stations, bike paths and walkways strategically located for urban and suburban commuters alike. I’m talking about
Make no mistake, we must continue moving forward as rapidly as possible to complete an east end bridge, a parallel span with the Kennedy Bridge downtown and the redesign of Spaghetti Junction. I will do everything I can in the United States Senate to keep moving this mega-project forward and get it completed as quickly as humanly possible.
But a 21st century public transit system for our Commonwealth and the Louisville Metro area particularly is not in conflict with building the bridges and redesigning Spaghetti Junction – nor should it be. Funding for the bridges and public transit are derived from two separate accounts.
With UPS, Humana, Brown-Foreman, Yum Brands, Kindred Health Care, PharMerica, Ford and GE, not to mention nearly another dozen or so other medium to large companies and organizations – like the national Presbyterian Church headquarters, Reynolds Alcoa, Hillerich & Bradsby and Gordon Foods … there is no question that Louisville – as Kentucky’s largest urban population center and employer – is the economic engine that powers Kentucky’s economy. Louisville is also rapidly becoming a national leader in medical research and education.
Louisville is beautiful. It is a culturally diverse city and it offers tremendous economic, social and educational opportunities … However, if we are going to reap the economic and social benefits that go along with, being a world class city, we must have a world class public transportation system.
It begins with our nation’s high speed rail plan – connecting the east coast to the west coast and urban population centers in the north to their counterparts in the south.
And let me say – when I use the term ‘high speed rail” I am not talking about “Bullet Trains” like those used in France or Japan. Because of the immense distances between American population centers such “high speed rail” is far to expensive. The general consensus here in America – in most cases – will mean train speeds of 110 to 160 mph.
Currently, this is our nation’s proposed high-speed rail routes in red. The gray lines on the map indicate other existing passenger rail routes that could be easily and relatively inexpensively converted to high-speed rail, completing an inter-connected national high-speed rail system – much like our federal highway system today.
You will notice there are only two access points that connect Kentucky to the current, proposed national high speed rail grid – one in Louisville and one in Cincinnati.
You will also notice there are two more potential access points – one near Ashland and one near Paducah – if the existing passenger rail service were upgraded and merged into the national high speed rail grid.
With the right leadership and commitment by our next Senator, I believe we can do better. We are blessed to live in a state that is geographically centered to the major urban population centers from North to South and East to West.
With the right leadership in the Senate and working with senators from neighboring states – we could have a national high speed rail system that looks something like this in Kentucky.
The high speed rail grid that I envision would connect northern cities like Minneapolis, Chicago, Indianapolis, Columbus and Cleveland to cities in the south like Memphis, Nashville, Birmingham, New Orleans and Miami, we would connect not only Louisville and Cincinnati into a national high speed rail system … we would connect Lexington and potentially Bowling Green, Elizabethtown and London.
By connecting Washington D.C. to the West Coast in a transcontinental high speed rail line that bisects our nation and a passenger rail connecting our smaller cities in Kentucky with our urban centers – something that I will address in a moment -- we could potentially enable the majority of Kentuckians to easily access most major cities around the country.
There is no question that “high speed rail” is in its infancy here in the United States. But there is also no question in my mind that at some point in our nation’s future, high speed rail will connect the major population centers on the east and west coasts and large cities in the north with similar urban centers in the South.
The question is will Kentucky – centrally located at the intersection of these potential north-south and east-west routes -- be included? I submit we can ill afford not to be. [SLIDE
Take a moment and think about our federal highway system and state parkways. According to the Kentucky Cabinet of economic Development, “highway accessibility is the most important factor in getting and keeping good jobs.” Highways, bridges, locks and dams – they all have a critical role to play in building Kentucky’s economy and I will be laying out a specific and detailed Highway Transportation Plan for Kentucky later next month. But for now let me share a few quick observations.
While there are a few exceptions, if a Kentucky highway map is overlaid with per capita income … like this one– it is clear that the major interstate corridors are where the highest level of economic activity occurs shown in blue … while red and white indicate those areas without easy access to a major interstate highway.
Per capita income for counties served by Interstate highways is nearly THREE times that of counties that do not have access to good four-lane highways.
It is obvious that continuing to maintain, improve and expand our existing highway and bridge infrastructure in Kentucky is critical. What may not be obvious to some, however, is my belief that if Kentucky is left out of a federal high speed rail network – a network that is – as I said earlier -- in the infancy of its planning stages – I fear the economic consequences to our Commonwealth will be like those communities left out of the Federal Interstate Highway system 53 years ago. We will only fall farther behind in our efforts to expand economic opportunities and increase personal incomes.
The next Senator from Kentucky must be a fierce advocate for Kentucky when it comes to not only highways, bridges, locks and dams but also a fierce advocate for mass public transportation.
I will be a Senator who works hard every day with not only my colleagues in the Senate, but with state and local officials, as well as community organizations like yours to ensure Kentucky and particularly Louisville is an important intersection hub in any future national high speed rail plan.
If we are connected in a meaningful way to the national high-speed rail network, it will make Kentucky and Louisville even more attractive for businesses to relocate and new business start ups … creating new jobs, increasing productivity and expanding economic opportunities for all our citizens.
But to be included in our national High Speed Rail Plan, it requires that we also develop an integrated, multi-modal public transportation system that meets the 21st century needs of our citizens.
So let me take you now from a national perspective to a state and regional perspective and share with you my vision for the Louisville-Metro region and our Commonwealth as it relates to meeting our public transportation needs in the 21st century.
Let me first address the most obvious question – how do we pay for a 21st century multi-modal public transit system in Kentucky at a time when our nation’s annual deficit and long-term debt are soaring.
My answer is simple. We are already paying for it in federal fuel taxes. We are just not getting our share of tax dollars back. We are not realizing an equitable return on the taxes that we are already paying into the Federal Highway Trust Fund’s Transit Account.
The Highway trust fund is split into two separate accounts – a Highway account and a transit account. 80% of revenues derived from the fuel taxes and other minor taxes that motorists pay goes into the Highway account and 20% goes into the Transit account. In 2007, Kentucky sent 87 million dollars to the federal highway transit account but we received only 20 million dollars back for public transportation - a paltry 23% return.
In contrast in 2007 we saw a return of about 93% of OUR highway account dollars.
Money going into the federal transit account is used to help states and local communities pay for their public transit needs – things like purchasing new busses, subway systems and hybrid light rail. In rural communities public transit dollars are used to provide transportation needed for health and other social services.
Two of the biggest reasons why we get so few of our tax dollars back when it comes to the Federal Public Transit Fund is very simple – other than a few public bus systems and rural transportation systems – we don’t have any plans for an integrated public transit system and we obviously do not have leadership in Washington willing to make public transportation a priority – a senator who will champion this issue.
As Kentucky’s next United States Senator, I will work tirelessly to lead an effort in Washington and here at home to return to Kentucky more of the tax dollars we currently pay into the transit fund so that we can invest in a 21st century public transit system for Kentucky … and realize the economic benefits it will create.
If we got just 70 cents back for every dollar our citizens currently pay into the Federal Public Transit account – less than we currently get back from the Federal Highway account, it would go a long way toward paying for the initial investment in developing an integrated, 21st century public transit system for the Louisville-Metro region and Kentucky.
So what would this multi-modal, integrated transit system look like and what modes of transportation would it include?
In my view, the first and the most important link in an integrated multimodal public transit system for Louisville is a Rapid Access Monorail or RAM system.
A Rapid Access Monorail system could be completely automated, have limitless and -- for all intents and purposes -- continuous boarding capacity. It could be built on an elevated track above traffic – within existing right of ways – and could travel up to 55 miles per hour and operate 24 hours a day. Each ‘vehicle’ could have a capacity of 30 passengers and more ‘vehicles’ could be easily added to the track system during peak demand or removed from the system during off peak hours.
The type of RAM system I am describing might arrive or depart each destination point every about 30 seconds – making “continuous boarding” a reality.
The main trunk line for a Rapid Access Monorail or RAM would serve a corridor that connects the Louisville International Airport to the new Downtown Arena and from downtown into Louisville’s West-End.
It is critical that any 21st Century transit system address, not only the need to move large volumes of people to and from high activity centers – like the airport or convention center for example, but it must also serve the transit needs of the young, the aging and those who cannot afford a car – population clusters that are highly dependent on public transportation to commute to their jobs, receive health care and meet other social needs, creating a more economically and culturally integrated community.
By extending the main trunk line of any RAM system into the west end … we will not only tie into the three regional hybrid light rail lines at 15th and Market which I’ll talk about in a minute, providing a major transfer point in the city. It will also significantly increase job opportunities to those who are most dependent on public transit– linking the workforce to jobs.
For example, currently UPS is the largest employer in the Louisville-Metro area, but the personnel demands and late shifts required by UPS often make it extremely difficult – if not impossible – for potential workers without means of private transportation to commute to the UPS hub during late night hours, which is one of the busiest times for UPS to process packages. Any integrated, 21st Century public transit system must meet the economic needs of our community’ employers and workforce, as well as basic transportation needs.
Whatever monorail system is developed could dramatically increase economic opportunities for our citizens dependent on public transit … creating a stronger, more vibrant economic community and serve as a recruiting tool for city and state economic development officials to attract new industries and companies to the Louisville community … and creating new jobs for our citizens.
Over time, after the RAM main trunk line is completed -- and as ridership warrants -- RAM collector/distributor stations could be added to serve high intensity, activity centers like Louisville Medical Center, Papa John Stadium, the Convention Center, Churchill Downs and the University of Louisville – with an extension line directly serving the UPS hub.
In addition to establishing the RAM main line, the second component in a 21st Century multimodal public transportation system for Louisville is Hybrid Light Rail Transit. Similar to the RAM vehicles, which are powered by electricity, this light rail system would be powered by hybrid electric engines. Hybrid Light Rail can travel faster than the RAM – up to 80 miles per hour, operate on existing freight rail infrastructure and could carry limitless loads of commuters by simply adding passenger cars.
Presently, there are seven existing freight railroads serving the Louisville-Metro area. By using the existing tracks, we can avoid significant construction costs.
Perhaps the biggest challenge for developing Hybrid Light Rail is the liability issues over the use of the existing track operated by current freight railroads. It is only natural that this would be a major concern of the railroads that currently own and operate these existing tracks. If we can partner with these railway companies and address this issue – and I think in most instances we can – every corridor or at least most corridors in the Louisville-Metro area could be served by Light Rail -- expanding affordable public transit not only into local neighborhoods, by establishing park and ride lots but expanding it to suburban commuters in outlying communities – including Elizabethtown, Shepherdsville, Fort Knox, Simpsonville, LaGrange, Shelbyville, Frankfort, Lexington and commuters living across the river in Jeffersonville and New Albany.
The potential impact a Hybrid Light Rail Passenger system would have on small, outlying communities would be tremendous, making these small towns more attractive for families and business start ups, while still providing workers with quick and easy access to Louisville’s urban core.
The last phase of a comprehensive Hybrid Light Rail system would be to expand it to other population centers in Kentucky , connecting communities in Western, Northern, Southern and Eastern Kentucky to Louisville and Lexington, making business travel easy and convenient … spurring economic growth and creating more jobs in these smaller cities in the more rural areas of our Commonwealth.
The third and fourth components in an integrated, multi-modal public transit system would be an expanded TARC bus system with pick up and drop off points strategically located along the RAM and light rail routes. Expanding Louisville’s TARC system is a critical component of an integrated public transit system because an expanded TARC system would make it possible to have a true home-to-work public transit system.
This slide shows possible strategic locations for Park & Ride facilities in and around Louisville and Jefferson County … while the next slide illustrates possible inter-modal terminals in outlying communities.
Collectively, RAM in combination with hybrid light rail, busses, Park-n-Ride locations and strategically located urban bike ways and walk paths along with highways and airports constitute an truly integrated, 21st century public transit system.
Let me tell you why I’m so excited…so passionate about this issue…The economic and environmental benefits of a 21st Century Public Transit system will be enormous.
Economically, by using existing tax dollars that our citizens are already paying – but realizing minimal benefit in return, we can create thousands of construction jobs as we build and develop an integrated, multi-modal public transit system.
A study conducted by the American Public Transportation Association concluded that for every $1 invested in public transit - $4 is generated in economic returns.
Think about it for just a moment --- we have double digit unemployment…the job market continues to sputter…and thousands of Kentuckians are struggling to survive… Investing in a integrative, 21st century public transit system NOW, we can gain a competitive economic advantage, recruit new industries and businesses … create thousands of new jobs and generate millions of dollars in federal, state and local tax revenues.
When completed, the Louisville-Metro area gains an immediate economic competitive advantage over cities like Indianapolis, Nashville, Memphis and St. Louis.
By being able to easily and quickly connect our work force with employers, we become immediately more attractive to companies and businesses looking to relocate or start a new plant.
Finally, as we pull out of the worst economic recession in our lifetime – with a 21st century public transit system – Louisville and Kentucky would be better positioned to reap the economic rewards of a growing economy compared to other cities and states in the Ohio Valley/Midwest region.
Investing in public transportation, will help create the ‘Green Jobs’ of tomorrow -- putting Kentuckians and Americans back to work sooner than we otherwise would … building the infrastructure and manufacturing and operating the public transit vehicles. These are exactly the types of jobs that cannot be outsourced and that are needed as we look to green our state and nation’s economy.
Environmentally, a fully integrated, multi-modal public transit system would significantly reduce traffic congestion … and thereby increasing the time commuters have at home with their families.
We will improve the air quality in Louisville and the surrounding area and reduce greenhouse gas emissions that contribute to global warming.
We also help to reduce our dependence on foreign oil.
And finally, I suggest that a comprehensive and fully integrated public transit system will spur revitalization and smart growth efforts not only in Louisville’s urban core, but also in some of the smaller, rural communities through where the Hybrid Light Rail lines run – as investors and businesses locate around these commuter collection points.
By investing in a 21st century integrated, public transit system, we will extend the life of our current highway infrastructure and reduce future maintenance costs – thereby freeing up additional highway fund dollars to pay for other sorely needed highway and bridge projects – here in Louisville and other regions throughout the state.
In closing, let me say, the plan I have presented to you here today is not a perfect plan, but it is a starting point to restart a conversation and debate on the need for a 21st century multi-modal public transportation system for Louisville, the Metro region and the state.
I realize there are many local organizations, elected officials and government officials that have also given this issue significant thought and I am looking forward to working with them … as well as listening to the citizens of the Louisville-Metro area to understand better their ideas and concerns so that we are prepared to hit the ground running on this issue.
Let me be very clear. Developing a 21st century, integrated public transit system for the Louisville-Metro region and for Kentucky will be one of my highest priorities in the United States Senate. It will create jobs and open economic opportunities for not only the work force in the Louisville Metro area … but for all Kentucky’s citizens. And right now -- especially – working families in Kentucky need jobs … jobs … jobs.
This plan will create thousands of jobs, generate investment and help recruit new industries and businesses that will lead to even more jobs – and at the same time, improve the environment, significantly reduce traffic congestion, greenhouse gases and our dependence on foreign oil, while promoting revitalization and smart growth initiatives in outlying rural communities as well as within Louisville’s urban core.
I want to thank CART for this opportunity and thank you for listening. I am happy to answer your questions.
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